Fundraising Party Planners in Chicago?

April 14, 2009 3:44 PM

I need a fund raising party planner in Chicago.

So my up and comming theatre company has $1000 that we would like to make grow. We were in talks with a company to plan a party to raise funds and awareness but they haven't really done anything since December and the party was supposed to be at the beginning of May. Does anybody know of a company that will work with a very small non-profit to plan a fundraising party? Thanks

posted by Uncle to society & culture (5 comments total)

Does anybody know of a company that will work with a very small non-profit to plan a fundraising party?

For $1,000? I don't see how you're going to find anyone remotely competent for that. Your best bet might be to be in touch with an organization for fundraising professionals (the AFP Chicago chapter, maybe?) and see if they can hook you up with some pro-bono action. Often such groups have connections to internship programs at local colleges, etc.

You should really get someone who is a fundraising professional to join your board of directors, so that they can steer you to this kind of resource. Best of luck!
posted by Sidhedevil at 4:09 PM on April 14 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't have a perfect referral, but I'd love to know more about your situation. Sidhedevil gives good advice on the AFP referral and is right in that you want your BOD to be stocked with people who bring essential skill sets to the organization (like fundraising, big networks of wealthy contacts, Finance skills, marketing/PR expertise, etc). If this firm you've engaged hasn't delivered, than you should ask for an action plan or consider the out clause of your agreement with them. I served on the boards of rather large NFP orgs in Chicago for 10 years (Rehab Institute of Chicago and Access Living) and organized many benefits as a volunteer board member. Not knowing your mission, your fundraising target or the size of the board, I will say that the most important part of a successful benefit is the invitation list. Regardless of the scale, planning of the event itself and invitations can be distributed among a committee of people (for example, one board member handles venue and food, another finds probono designers/printers for invitations, another organizes volunteers for the event) if there isn't one board member or employee who can do it all. Again, depending on the scope of the event, there are people at the venues whose jobs it is to work logistics (Merchandise Mart, Navy Pier Ballroom, etc) and make it easy for a non-party planning professional to get the job done. The fact that you hired someone suggests to me that you were also looking for some PR help, public education about your cause or simply access to those invitation lists. Some straightforward networking might achieve this. What's your NFP? ;>
posted by njbradburn at 6:32 PM on April 14

So the company is Red Ink Theatre (I'm finishing the redesign of our website now) and our board is just three company members right now. We're trying to restart the process with the company because when we first met with them they were saying for $500 they would get us a space and get donated wine and such and they would make their money by taking $5 off each ticket sold. It sounds like a great deal and now I'm thinking it might have been to good to be true.

We are working up to developing a good board but we kinda have a show in the end of May and need to make some money to get it up.
posted by Uncle at 9:08 PM on April 14

Ah-I'm asking a couple of friends who were in the Chicago theater scene (but no longer live there) for input and will report back. Looks like fun stuff!
posted by njbradburn at 6:12 AM on April 15

My friends have nothing. Sorry! Have you found anything?
posted by njbradburn at 6:52 PM on April 22